Russia + Europe

An exhibition at Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery is celebrating George Costakis, the diplomat who scoured the USSR buying works by artists like Marc Chagall when they were still ‘worth less than a pound of potatoes’. The Moscow Times reports

Russia maybe be under perennial scrutiny but it is a challenge to find photography that provides fresh perspective of the country, or its post-Soviet neighbours. Can outsiders offer anything new? The Calvert Journal profiles 25 international photographers who’ve turned their lens on the region

Harsh winters and the world’s worst road congestion make the Russian capital an inhospitable place for cyclists. So why does the number of riders keep on rising? Maryam Omidi reports for The Calvert Journal

Moscow’s death-defying ‘roofers’ have become an internet sensation and unlikely tourist attraction. Now, a series of arrests threatens to bring their fun to an end. Maryam Omidi heads up a ladder to meet them for The Calvert Journal

Photographer Nikita Shokhov spent two years taking pictures of Russian holidaymakers at the seaside in Sochi, Anapa and resorts in between. From sun-worshipers to night-time revellers, his Black Sea Vacations series is a compelling insight into beach culture, says The Calvert Journal

On Europe: Fans in the Russian capital for the Champions League final find out first hand that the country's dilapidated infrastructure cannot cope with the exponential demand for private transport, writes David Gow in Moscow

Wherever you're heading for your holiday, you are bound to come across Russians. A nation that was once banned from travelling abroad is now gleefully staking its claim on sun-loungers and bar stools across Europe and beyond. Luke Harding joins in the fun.

It is one of the world's last natural wonders, a lunar landscape of spewing volcanic craters and gurgling eruptions. But yesterday environmentalists were assessing the damage done by a landslide to one of Russia's most famous attractions.

His presidential convoy is already a common sight. But Moscow drivers forced to wait while Vladimir Putin whizzes past received more bad news yesterday when it emerged that the Russian president is to get his own fast lane in a tunnel that is meant to relieve traffic congestion.